TRAINER BIOS

Amy has worked in the corporate wellness field for 12 years, and as a Certified Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer for over 25 years. Previously she spent several years in pharmaceutical sales and currently works in the hematology/oncology recruiting space. She gives multiple webinars each week to companies around the country on topics including resiliency, stress, fitness, healthy eating, parenting children and teens, and habit change. Amy graduated from N.C. State University with double bachelor’s degrees in Communications and Public Relations, and lives in Charlotte, N.C. with her husband and three teens/young adults.

Brendan Vigorito has been providing corporate training and workshops for diverse audiences. Brendan has managed businesses and has developed programs to improve services and efficiencies of organizations. He has served as Director of Education and Community Relations with a non-profit agency working on a national level with governmental agencies, financial institutions and corporations. He serves as a treasurer of a non-profit educational organization providing a philosophy of education impacting lives around the globe. He has counseled individuals and families on overall wellness including the areas of financial and physical health. Brendan has provided trainings on numerous topics including the areas of financial wellness, employee wellness, corporate wellness and communication. Brendan has been providing trainings and workshops since 1999.

Beth Leib Pollack has brought wit and wisdom to organizations and businesses for over 20 years. Her list of corporate trainings ranges from Communication topics, to Conflict and Harassment Prevention, to Stress Management to Parenting, including Special Needs parenting. She engages audiences through self-effacing, real life stories, and interactive participation which makes content meaningful and memorable. Her contagious enthusiasm helps participants find new energies and solutions to the challenges of life. She is the author of many seminars on health, wellness, and workplace productivity, including a full-day program on Preventing Aggressive Behavior which she co-authored for New York State EAP. Her participation on parenting and eldercare panels for Fortune 100 companies focus on self-care while finding practical solutions to challenges. She practices what she teaches in non-profit organizations throughout New York and Connecticut using her skills and experience in financial management, organizational development, and public relations.

Carrie is the Vice President and a corporate trainer for Balancing Life’s Issues, a global training company. Carrie’s background in training and marketing for a major corporate financial firm gave her a strong foundation to transition into her position as a full-time trainer. Carrie has worked with a major Healthcare client to deliver and implement full day continuous improvement workshops. Carrie has also presented hundreds of seminars in both health & wellness and workplace capacities. Some of her favorites include: Resiliency, Living a Healthy life, Sleep, Nutrition, How to speak with your physician, Alternative medicine, Stress Management, The Immune System, Exercise, Teleworking, and Communication to name a few.

A high school athlete, Carter joined a local gym in Charlottesville while completing her first degree at the University of Virginia. While continuing her studies in the School of Nursing, a friend recommended learning to instruct classes under the guise of a free gym membership. Juggling a full-time career as a nurse and starting a family, exercise and personal time became tough to find. Carter leaned on her side gig as a fitness instructor to fulfill those important pieces of her life. As the demands on a mother of four became larger, Carter shifted from a full-time career as a nurse, to a full-time career in fitness. She is a Primary Group Fitness instructor and certified Personal Trainer through IFTA (Interactive Fitness Trainers of America)

Cathy Richards, M.A. served as the Director of Wellness for one of the nation's largest CCRCs (continuing care retirement communities) where she spent eight years surrounded by 1400 older adults with the average age of 85. She is a Certified Dementia Care Practitioner, Certified Brain Fitness Facilitator and Certified Senior Fitness Instructor. She has developed seminars and trainings for corporate audiences and senior living communities on healthy aging, brain fitness, and wellness for older adults. Cathy has also authored a book on healthy aging called "BOOM: 6 Steps to a Longer, Healthier Life". In addition to her professional experience with older adults, Cathy is a part-time caregiver for her mother, who has moderate dementia, and her father, who has a LVAD heart pump, both age 82, giving her personal experience in caring for elders as well.

Christine Walchuk is an independent consultant specializing in training and program development. She brings over 30 years of experience in corporate settings as well as higher education. Chris began her career in the field of Career Planning and Placement in a University setting. She developed and presented group workshops on career-related issues, including Resume Preparation, Career Exploration and Effective Interview Skills. Chris also managed student internships. The next eleven years were spent in a corporate setting in a variety of Human Resource Management positions. These experiences provided Chris with extensive training opportunities focusing on leadership and management development, team building, group facilitation, performance management, coaching and counseling, conflict resolution, diversity, sexual harassment, communication and presentation skills. Chris attended Fordham University in New York where she received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Masters of Science in Education with a specialty in Counseling. Chris is a DDI (Development Dimensions International) Certified Master Trainer, DDI Certified Instructor in Interaction Management and Targeted Selection and a Qualified MBTI Administrator.

Diane has been actively working in the health and wellness industry for over 25 years. For 10 years she was General Manager of a large multi-sport health club, and was responsible for all aspects of running and managing a successful multi-million dollar business. She was an Associate Professor at Barnard College, as well as a continuing education provider for the American Council on Exercise. She has an MS and certification in Exercise Physiology, and a certification in Leadership and Organizational Development. Diane has presented a multitude of webinars, seminars and workshops on a wide variety of health, wellness, and managerial development topics. A few of which are Resilience, Stress Management, Creating a Healthy Workplace, Managing Difficult People, Coping with Organizational Change, Healthy Aging and How to Talk to Your Physician.

For the last 17 years, Dr. Mel has taught and spoke in over 323 cities throughout 6 countries, he has given close to 1,100 presentations, and motivated over 47,500 students. Dr. Mel has reached hundreds of thousands of individuals over the radio and the news. Dr. Mel’s education includes a MBA from Northwood University, Bachelor of Science from the University of Tennessee and a Doctorate in Psychology where he maintained a 3.9 GPA. Dr. Mel is a Certified Executive Coach. He combines theories of motivation and psychology in his teaching. Dr. Mel will help employees learn how to improve their customer service, sales and communication skills that will bring them maximum success

Ellen is an Integrative Health Coach who has conducted individual and group coaching sessions for both private and corporate clients, since 2011. She loves to educate and empower her clients to upgrade their food and lifestyle choices so they can lead healthier, happier, more balanced lives. In addition, Ellen has sixteen years of corporate HR experience, in a variety of roles, which gives her a unique perspective and ability to communicate with corporate clients. Ellen earned a Bachelor's degree in Industrial Psychology and a Master's degree in Human Resource Management. She has also completed extensive functional nutrition training through the Holistic Nutrition Lab, the Health Sciences Academy, The Culinary Nutrition Academy and the Progressive Practitioner Training Program, among others.

Greg recently retired from a successful 35-year career starting with local-regional providers, concluding in Anthem EAP-Behavioral Health’s national platform. He has started a consulting, training, coaching practice centered in Colorado’s front range. Greg has participated in multiple professional roles. Over the past 35 years, he has exceled as a therapist, coach, trainer, and consultant. This depth of experience has given him unique insight into workplace processes and human interactions. A clinical background combined with in-depth workplace knowledge and business acumen has allowed him to provide valuable insight to his customers as they implement, transition, expand, or change their operations and programming to meet the needs of their customers and employees. Greg’s clinical and account management experience has focused on stress management, resiliency, change management and trauma. Both at the individual and organizational levels, Greg thinks and acts strategically to deliver value and meet organizational goals.

Henry is the owner and founder of HG Wealth Management LLC. He specializes in financial planning and investment portfolio design. As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, Henry has a solid foundation for helping his clients manage their economic concerns and pursue their goals. He has received numerous honors and awards and has worked in various aspects of finance in New York and Chicago. Henry has worked as a corporate trainer for over six years, specializing in financial topics, including budgeting, investment basics, credit cards, wills and estates and even identity theft. Henry is particularly interested in how financial soundness can lead to peace of mind. In 2003, Henry completed DePaul University’s Financial Planning Certificate Program and earned his CFP® certification. He received an MBA in Finance and Marketing at The University of Michigan in 1986. Henry completed his undergraduate studies at The University of Chicago earning an AB in Economics in 1982.

Jamie Peterson’s mission is to empower others to live and work successfully. She is passionate about using psychological research to create opportunities for everyone to learn, grow and stretch themselves into new possibilities. She earned her Master’s degree in counseling and her Doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Minnesota. Jamie has over 20 years of experience counseling, teaching, researching and consulting in education, non-profit organizations and corporations. She has a rich understanding of the “soft skills” - interpersonal and personal skills - necessary for individuals and teams to thrive in a variety of environments. She has facilitated over 200 sessions that focus on educating and empowering individuals to live and work more effectively. And, she’s written a book for young adults, titled “College to Career: Making the Most of your Journey” that focuses on the soft skills necessary to succeed.

Kelly Satola has been a registered, licensed dietitian nutritionist in the state of Ohio for two decades. While she has extensive background in child nutrition, behavioral health nutrition and food service, her areas of focus are public health and wellness. She is currently practicing as a dietitian at Neighborhood Family Practice, a Federally Qualified Health Center, providing Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) for patients, as well as cooking demos and community events to teach patients about preventing chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. She is Chair of the Wellness in the Neighborhood (W.I.N.) employee wellness program as well as co-creator of a virtual event series, Wellness for You, that provides monthly interactive classes for patients covering the 8 Dimensions of Wellness.

Krista Rizzo, CPC is a Certified Professional Coach, Motivational Speaker and Author. She’s the creator of the #WhyAmIYelling? Brand. After experiencing her own transformation through coaching in 2015, Krista decided she needed to help others create theirs. She helps people who are struggling with personal and professional blocks to go from feeling unappreciated, invisible and unworthy to excited, happy and fulfilled. She teaches them to overcome their fear of change through positive self-acceptance, relationship appreciation and faith. With over two decades of corporate experience in relationship management, she now brings her knowledge and skills to her clients and audience. Krista holds a Business Degree from Bauder College, and she received her Coaching Certification from Coach Training Alliance. She holds certifications in Life Coaching and Career Coaching which are recognized by the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

Loran completed the Holistic Health Practitioner’s program at IPSB in San Diego California in 1990. In 1997, she completed the “LifeSkills” program at San Diego City Schools, which included extensive training on mental health issues, domestic violence, stress management and conflict resolution and has been working with businesses and schools ever since. In 2008, Loran was certified as a business coach from World Class Coaches. She continues to further her education on a regular basis.

Through a combination of personal coaching, corporate training, and public speaking, Michelle has personally informed, influenced, and inspired thousands on their journeys to becoming better beings. Drawing on her 24+ years in the industry and her advanced degrees in wellness-related education and nutrition, she has published two books: The YOU Revolution: The Journey of a Better Being, and The PFF Handbook. Her books have allowed her to share her proven, practical strategies for true lifestyle change with an even wider audience. Her childhood experiences led her to the University of Hawaii, where she received undergraduate degrees in psychology and nutrition, followed by a master’s degree in Kinesiology from C.U. Boulder. She is also a certified Personal Trainer.

Patricia Raskin. M.Ed., has a master's degree in counseling and is a certified coach (CPC). She has worked in the communications, coaching, media, and training fields for over three decades. Patricia conducts onsite trainings and seminars on topics like stress management, mental health awareness, creating positive work environments, and healthy aging. She is the author of two books, Success Your Dream and You and Pathfinding: Seven Principles for Positive Living. Patricia’s programs focusing on positive living have aired on FOX, PBS, NPR and Cumulus affiliates. The Patricia Raskin Positive Living Show, is currently heard on VoiceAmerica.com and iTunes.

Robbin has a gifted intuition and an ability to connect easily with others. Clients benefit from her knowledge and experience as a lawyer and entrepreneur. Her prior work experience in both the public and private sectors deepens her appreciation for the complexity of issues clients encounter in their professional lives. Robbin has presented a wide range of "Better Living" topics to audiences. She connects with her audiences in a way that helps to bring the information alive so that, when they leave her seminar, they leave with hope and strategies for change.

Ryan McMillian is a Marriage and Family Therapist in Philadelphia. He facilitates workshops on couples' communication, grief, boundary setting and clinical considerations for men in therapy. Ryan has become an in-demand speaker and media guest covering an array of topics from trauma to substance abuse. Ryan has a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, a Master of Divinity in Pastoral Care & Counseling and a post graduate certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy. Ryan received 4 units of clinical pastoral education at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Yale New Haven Hospital.

Shanti Douglas is a Mindfulness, Optimize, and HeartMath®Certified Trainer and Coach, corporate trainer, author, and the owner of 8 limbs Holistic Health, LLC in Concord, NH. Her mission is to empower others to have greater confidence and ease as they navigate their way through stressful times, to help them recognize their strengths with joy, and to create a life fulfilled Educational background includes degrees in both Psychology and Human Services with Masters work in Consciousness Studies. Along with 20 years of business and corporate experience, she is also a Certified Optimize Coach and a Certified Wellcoaches Health and Wellness Coach with multiple yoga and healing energy certifications.

Star is an accomplished attorney, dynamic trainer and award-winning speaker specializing in HR and legal topics. With over a decade of performance on stage, television and the big screen, Star’s high-energy and engaging style makes a lasting impact on her audiences and clients. Star’s background in employment litigation and diversity counseling, allows her to connect with diverse audiences, further enhancing her effectiveness as a speaker, trainer, and executive coach. Star graduated from UCLA Law School in 2001 and was a magna cum laude graduate from California State University Los Angeles thereafter.

Steven is a human resources entrepreneur and fitness instructor.  As a talent acquisition leader, Steven has built and led global talent acquisition at high-scale organizations over the past two decades.  As a fitness instructor, it's Steven's passion to bring out the best in his students. In every class, Steven repeats the mantra: YES, YOU CAN! As a speaker on topics from hiring best practices to the intersections of engagement and fitness, Steven brings a feisty and fun nature to everything he does. Steven has a BA from Brandeis University and MS from UMass Boston, in addition to numerous fitness certifications.

Theresa has a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's degree in elementary and special education. She also holds two permanent NYS teaching licenses in Nursery-6 grade and Special Education and a School Administrator’s license. Theresa holds certificates in Mental Health First Aid for children and adults, Substance Abuse Prevention and Opioid Overdose and Brain Injury. Some of the agencies Theresa has provided trainings for include several Fortune 500 companies as well as St. John’s University, Hofstra University, and NYU Langone.

Tony is a very experienced Workplace Psychologist, Trainer, and Author. Tony holds formal degrees in psychology, behavioural sciences, and workplace education. He is a Certified Employee Assistance Professional (CEAP) and a Registered Civil, Commercial and Workplace Mediator (CMCUK & SMN). Tony is the Managing Partner of Buon Consultancy. From 1985 until 2001 Tony was a Director and owner of one of the world’s largest EAP and Work-Life companies, IPS. Tony now consults and trains independently throughout the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

CEO of Balancing Life’s Issues Wendy Wollner graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Psychological Services. After some time in working in Human Resources she joined the faculty in the American Management Association teaching leadership, communication and respectful workplace classes. In addition, Wendy has spent the past 30 years being a corporate trainer facilitating seminars which help companies engage in critical conversations with employees.